Page 118 of The Mercenary's Guide to Mishaps and Romance

“I am,” Ellis says.

“Jolene. Because she’s gonna steal Tavish’s man,” I say, quite proud of myself.

Everyone is silent for a long moment, no doubt relishing how phenomenal my name choice is.

“That is so cute,” Ellis says, reminding me how much more agreeable this man is than Tavish. “I love it. Do you like Jolene?”

She dances a bit, clearly pleased with this and even more pleased when Ellis scratches her head.

I give them a wave, proud of my job well done. “Alright, see ya, bitches.”

“I’m coming,” Jackson says as he tries stuffing Blow-Up Randy onto Tavish’s lap. When Tavish smacks him off, he gives him to Ellis, who seems confused as he cradles the blow-up man like an infant.

I grab Jackson’s hand, and he must think I’m planning on pulling him in for a soft kiss until I carefully swipe his leg out from under him and gently lay him on the ground. “Hug Randy and be good.”

Cayenne leaps onto him, thrilled he’s on her level. “Good job, Cayenne. Keep him pinned down,” I shout as I hurry out the door to the car. I have to be quick, but the fucking garage door is taking a year and a half to open. It’s slowly whirling up but I know Jackson can’t be far behind, so I start backing out before it’s fully up. But even that’s not fast enough to contain my man as he comes running after me.

I lock the door. “YOU’RE NOT GOING.”

“I’m going, dammit,” he growls as he hangs on to the door handle while giving me a look. “You let me in this car right this minute or that damn fence is going to be gone.”

I gasp. “You wouldn’t!”

“I’d burn it to the ground.”

“Jackson, no!”

“I have a woodchipper on speed dial.”

“Jackson, you wouldn’t. I need you here.”

“What for?”

“What if Waylon comes home and he’s lonely?”

“Waylon’s not coming home until tonight.”

“But he could be lonely.”

Jackson smashes his face against the window. “I’m not letting you go alone. Do you understand?”

“Not fully.”

“What do you think is going to happen? I know Everly. I was tied up by him. We’re close friends,” he says.

I glower at him. “You’re proving my point.”

“Isn’t that how you made friends with Henry?”

“Maybe… but it’s different!”

“But haven’t you two already been over this stuff? Come on. Let me in the car.”

“Yeah, but then you have to be faced with how horrible of a person I am. And you have to see the nice person I was going to kill to save myself.”

“Leland, love. We’ve gone over this. And I really wish you’d realize that I’m right. Do you not believe me? Do… do you think I’m not worthy of listening to?”

I rub my head while wondering when my lovely husband had taken to usingmytactics to get his way! “No, I listen to you, but I want you to stay here.”

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